A blustery evening blossomed into a sea of colour last night in Hamilton Harbour.

The Christmas Boat Parade returned with its usual creative flair — continuing a tradition dating back to 1998.

Dancers in Santa hats and crews of elves mingled with sailboats sporting lit-up rigging and Christmas figurines.

However, this year, the holiday favourite came with a first.

A festive Bermudian light show of drones entranced crowds after the boats decked with lights and revellers finished their parade through the harbour.

The 15-minute aerial display opened with a Bermudian flag morphing into a longtail, followed by a Gombey dancer, a Bermudiana flower and Olympic heroes Dame Flora Duffy and Clarence Hill.

A succession of Bermuda-themed displays took over the skies, mingled with Christmas images.

The choreographed presentation followed the script of a Christmas tale featuring Curly the longtail, read out by actor Lana Young and written by the Corporation of Hamilton’s Helen Zoellner.

It was the second drone show over Hamilton Harbour in less than a month, after the colourful array of technology put on a display marking the November opening of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship golf tournament.

Yuletide boat parades have become a wintertime institution in many waterfront cities.

Bermuda’s spin on the tradition was inspired by the Newport Beach, California boat parade.

Recalling the Bermuda Day Parade and the flower-decked floats of the old Floral Parades, the fleet of illuminated boats now culminated in a companion show in the sky.

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• Video by Kyle McNeil